Saturday, January 11, 2014

Asian Century

By Rey O. Arcilla
Malaya
(If only all the claimants of parts of the South China Sea were to categorically declare their adherence to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, then we could all look forward to what may be called the Asian Century.)
Disputed-South-China-SeaTHE director of the Center on Asia and Globalization at the National University of Singapore, Huang Jing, said that China is pursuing a “win-win cooperation” with its neighbors especially in terms of regional development.
“China sees itself and its neighbors as depending on each other for shared fortunes, good or bad,” he said.
If what Huang said is true, I would like to offer advice, free of charge, to China on how to go about it.
First, drop her so-called Nine-dash-line claim over the South China Sea.
Second, declare categorically that China will henceforth abide by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which she has signed and ratified.
Needless to say, all other claimant-countries of parts of the South China Sea will have to do the same.
When that is done, all of us can then start cooperating, on a win-win basis, on matters involving regional development.
China, of course, will have to put a stop to any moves that could be interpreted as aggressive by her neighbors and by other countries that may feel their national interests are being threatened.
In the case of the Philippines, it would certainly put into question the desirability or necessity of having an increased presence of US forces on our soil. I say we should drop the idea.
Then we could all look forward to what may be called the Asian Century!
***
Chairman Zenaida Ducut of the Energy Regulatory Commission has refused to resign or to go on leave after a case against her was lodged in the Ombudsman for allegedly being involved in the pork barrel scam and for approving the huge increase in the cost of electricity.
I am not saying Ducut is a rhinoceros, but she sure is acting like she has the hide of one.
But no surprise there really. Malacañang has said it is up to her to go on leave or resign.
DILG Secretary Mar Roxas too. After making such a mess of his job in the wake of the Yolanda deluge and being roundly criticized for it, the man is still around.
***
Commission on Appointments-unconfirmed Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla pulled a good publicity stunt when he said he would resign if he fails to restore electricity in all the Yolanda-destroyed communities by a certain date.
He failed… submitted his resignation to President Noynoy Aquino… but it was not irrevocable! It looked like he wasn’t serious at all about his promise to resign.
Nice shot, Jericho! You certainly know your president.
***
Many people were puzzled by Petilla’s statement that he wants Meralco to appeal forthwith the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order (TRO) issued against increasing its charges effective December last year.
“How do we deal with the TRO? We respect it but I am asking Meralco to appeal it because I do not want them to borrow to pay off fuel costs because that would carry interest charges,” Petilla said.
He added that Meralco would just have to collect higher rates in the future from its 5.3 million customers if it is prevented from doing so now.
That’s it?! If he is really a good public servant, he (and President Noynoy Aquino) would think of ways to help alleviate the suffering of the majority of their bosses. There are ways to help them other than to tell them they would have to pay anyway the higher rate, now or in the future. That smacks of total disregard for the plight of the poor.
Consumers are now asking on whose side Petilla is. He surely sounds like he is on Meralco’s side.
Can people then be blamed for believing that the Aquino administration is really for the elite and well-to-do, not the hoi polloi? Lest one forget, the Cojuangco-Aquino clan belongs to the oligarchy in this country.
As one blogger said:
“Pnoy & Petilla’s actions show how indifferent and out-of-touch they are to the plight of ordinary Filipinos. It is their duty as our elected and appointed government officials to protect the interest of the people they serve and not the few owners of big businesses. Pnoy slogan of “Daang Matuwid” is clearly applicable to his political enemies but not to his friends, allies and the rich.”
***
For the first time in years, the employees of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) did not receive their traditional Christmas bonus allegedly because Noynoy did not approve it.
But, here’s the kicker… Noynoy allegedly approved the bonus of the GSIS president and members of its Board of Trustees to the tune of P1.2 million each! Go figure.
GSIS chief Robert “Pretty Boy” Vergara is the highest paid civil servant in Noynoy’s administration, indeed in the country, having received P16.36 million in salary and allowances in 2012. He is an Ateneo business graduate, 1982, and is the same age, 52, as Noynoy. Kaklase?
Vergara was managing partner and founding partner of Cannizaro (Hong Kong) Limited. It is unclear what business the company was engaged in. Some say it is an investment brokerage firm. Interestingly, Vergara allegedly travels to Hong Kong and Singapore frequently even after he became GSIS head.
***
Seven years after the Philippines ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), the heads of the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court, the Cabinet and the Ombudsman presented to Noynoy a resolution containing their commitment to intensify the fight against corruption. I am not convinced they really mean it.
Take the Ombudsman, for instance. She promised the cases filed against senators Enrile, Estrada, Revilla and a host of other officials and private individuals involved in the pork barrel scam perpetrated by Janet Lim-Napoles will be brought to the Sandiganbayan before the end of last year.
Well, it is now 2014…
Why? Please don’t even think of using Yolanda or the Yuletide Season as the reason for the delay. That would be stupid.
And how about the Supreme Court… why is it taking so long to rule on whether or not the Development Acceleration Program (DAP) of the government is constitutional?
If the court considers the people their bosses too, like Noynoy does, it should have ruled on the DAP by now. After all, they have already done so in the case of the pork barrel of legislators, the PDAF. Their bosses believe that the DAP is another form of pork barrel for the use of the president.
Or, as I said last week: “Is the high tribunal’s delayed action due to the Sword of Damocles now hanging over the justices’ heads in the form of a move of several congressmen to impeach some or all of them? Or is it the call for both houses of Congress to have the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) and the Special Allowances for Judges (SAJ), both tagged as the Supreme Court’s pork barrel, scrutinized and vetted by government auditors for possible unwarranted uses? Both moves apparently have the support of Malacañang.”
Incidentally, is the Supreme Court ruling on the PDAF applicable to the Presidential Social Fund (PSF)? It should be. The PSF is definitely pork barrel in nature.
Paging Chief Justice Sereno and Ombudsman Morales…
***
No matter who Noynoy appoints as head of the Bureau of Customs, that agency will not change even with the replacement of some 200 examiners and appraisers.
However, there is one way that just might work – send to jail two or three big fish, both in and out of the agency for graft and corruption. (This goes to all other government agencies as well.) Wishful thinking? Well, that is really up to Noynoy, isn’t?
Which brings into focus once again the question… “is he really serious about daang matuwid? Masyado na yatang gasgas ang slogan na ‘yan. Pati na rin ang “Kung walang kurap, walang mahirap”.
***
In my last column, I referred to that portion of the service road in front of the Seafront compound of the US Embassy on Roxas Boulevard expropriated by the Americans some years back.
As expected, being the Amboy that he is, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario apparently has not taken any step to recover that portion of the service road for use by the commuting public.
It may also be that he is unaware of the matter because his underlings, who are supposed to be professionals, are keeping my columns away from him either because they do not want to upset him or they are afraid of him. Or of the Americans?
If that is the case, what about the national interest?
And they are professionals?!
***
For a supposedly Christian country, it is appalling that it has taken us nearly two months to start burying the remains of those 1,400 persons who perished in Tacloban due to Yolanda. It’s shameful! The world must now regard us with utter disdain!
And who is responsible? Ultimately, it is Noynoy. His minions failed miserably in their jobs!
As one cynical radio broadcaster said: “That’s a violation of the human rights of the dead!”
To me, it is more of a despicable lack of a sense of humanity, of being humane!
***
The Reminders portion of this piece will be resumed next week.
***
Today is the 233rd day of the seventh year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance
The Justice Department has dismissed the charges against several of those accused in Jonas’ disappearance. Cleared were former AFP chiefs of staff Hermogenes Esperon and Alexander Yano, ex-PNP chief Avelino Razon, retired Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, Brig. Gen. Eduardo Ano and Lt. Col. Melquiades Feliciano. Only Maj. Harry Baliaga will be charged for arbitrary detention, murder and obstruction of justice on the disappearance of Jonas.
“Pwedeng kasuhan ang kamay ng krimen pero ang utak ay hindi?” rued Lorena Santos, daughter of a desaparecido like Jonas.
Mr. President, is this what you meant when you called for a “focused, dedicated and exhaustive” probe of what really happened to Jonas?
***
Quote of the year 2013:
“Tatandaan ninyo, ‘pag dumating ang panahong wala tayong problema, iyon naman ang problema. Dahil magiging boring na.” – Noynoy at Compostela Valley, 23 December 2013, referring to typhoons Pablo and Yolanda that killed thousands.
My reaction: I think it is better to be bored than dead. I also think the statement, just like “Bahala na ang Diyos sa inyo, busy ako”, is soooo unpresidential!
***
Posted by omeng at 9:00 AM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)